HomeMy WebLinkAboutAshly Dale 11.3.21Members of the Renton Planning Commission, Mayor Pavone, and Council members:
I know the issue of puppy mills and retail pet sales is complex and I thank you all for doing your
research on this issue.
I wanted to share a few cities and counties that had puppy selling stores and that have recently
passed humane ordinances like Renton is considering. I hope that you can use these examples
as a resource in drafting an ordinance.
Most recently Riverhead, NY passed an ordinance last month which goes into effect in January.
This will require 2 pet stores to go humane. In August of this year,Manatee County FL passed
an ordinance, requiring 3 pet stores to go humane.In June of this year,Orange County FL
passed an ordinance, requiring 8 pet stores to go humane.
Last year, two Washington municipalities said no to puppy mills when their pet store ordinances
went into effect.Kitsap County passed an ordinance which required Farmland Pets & Feed to
go humane, after selling puppy mill puppies for over 40 years.Olympia passed an ordinance
within 1 month of Puppyworld opening and allowed them 6 months to change their business
model to the highly profitable pet supply or services model. They chose to close and relocate to
your city just 5 months later, under the name Puppyland. Most humane ordinances are passed
after the problem already exists instead of preemptively.
No one wants to shut down small businesses but the fact of the matter is that puppy selling
stores could not be further from small business. With puppies priced at $4,000 and up, these
stores turn a huge profit, all in the name of animal cruelty. There is no humane or ethical way to
sell puppies in a pet store.
I hope you all will think of the hundreds of parent dogs that are left behind while their puppies
are being sold in pet stores across the country and cut off the puppy mill pipeline to the city of
Renton. Humane ordinances are legally sound and within your rights as a city and taking a
stand against puppy mills is good for your community and the animals.
Thank you for your time and research into this issue.
Ashly Dale
Director of Operations